Gary Thornhill
| Gary Thornhill | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Statistics | |
| Nickname(s) | Tornado |
| Rated at | Featherweight, super featherweight |
| Height | 5′ 6½″ / 169cm |
| Reach | 67″ / 170cm |
| Nationality |
English  |
| Born |
11 February 1968 Liverpool, England |
| Stance | orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 30 |
| Wins | 24 |
| Wins by KO | 12 |
| Losses | 5 |
| Draws | 1 |
Gary Thornhill, (born 11 February 1968 in Liverpool, England) is a former English professional boxer who fought at featherweight and super featherweight.
He is a former World Boxing Organization (WBO) Intercontinental super featherweight champion, as well as a BBBofC super featherweight central area champion.[1] Thornhill also held the Lonsdale belt for a short stint during his career.[2]
Amateur career
Thornhill started boxing at the age of 12, he went on to be an England international at the age of 18. Thornhill had 80 bouts as an amateur, winning 71 of them. He boxed for Higherside A.B.C,[3] St Helens Star A.B.C, then Transport A.B.C where he met his trainer, George Vaughan, who carried his career through to the paid ranks when Thornhill turned 24.
Professional career
Thornhill turned professional in February 1993 at the Epic Leisure Centre, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, England. In his debut Thornhill defeated Sheffield's Brian Hickey with a fourth round knockout.
Thornhill fought five world champions during his career: Justin Juuko-WBO World title holder (for the Commonwealth title),[4] Michael Gomez-WBU World title holder (for the British title), Scott Harrison-WBO & WBC World title holder,[5] Nicky Cook-WBA World title holder,[5] Stephen Foster-WBU World title holder.
At super-featherweight Thornhill was central area champion, WBO Intercontinental champion, and he also went on to win a British featherweight title fight with a 9th round stoppage against fellow Liverpudlian Richie Wenton in May 2000, but was stripped of the title after testing positive for amphetamines after the fight and banned for six months.[6]
Title fights
Thornhill's first title fight was against southpaw Des Gargano. Thornhill stopped him in the second round to win the BBBofC super featherweight central area title in his eleventh fight.
Justin Juuko came next for the Commonwealth strap. Thornhill was stopped in the eighth round.
Having gained valuable experience from the Juuko fight, Thornhill took on Dean Pithie for the intercontinental WBO super featherweight title. Thornhill knocked Pithie out in the eighth round.
Thornhill successfully defended his WBO belt against southpaw Steve Conway with a ninth round knockout of the Hartlepool man, becoming the first to stop him.
The British super featherweight title was next. Michael Gomez was the opposition, and stopped Thornhill in the second round.
Thornhill faced fellow Liverpudlian Richie Wenton for the British featherweight title. Thornhill had to much for Wenton and he failed to come out for the 9th round. Thornhill had won the BBBofC Lonsdale belt but was stripped of the title after failing a post-fight drugs test.
Thornhill got another go at the British and Commonwealth titles this time back up at super featherweight. Against Scott Harrison Thornhill fell short again and was stopped in the 5th round with a devastating left hook to the body.
Nicky Cook and the World boxing Foundation (WBF) intercontinental title was next for Thornhill but it came to no avail as he was stopped in the 7th round.
The last fight of Thornhill's career came against Stephen Foster for the BBBofC English featherweight title. Thornhill was stopped in the ninth round. After the decision was announced, Thornhill announced his decision to retire from boxing.
References
- ↑ Allsopp, Derick (2003) Fighting Chance: Winners and Losers in the Ultimate Risk Business, Mainstream Publishing, ISBN 978-1840186918
- ↑ http://www.britishboxers.co.uk/2011/08/stephen-smith-defends-his-belts-against.html
- ↑ http://www.thefreelibrary.com/MERSEYSIDE+MOURNS+MULCAHY.-a0328297253
- ↑ "Tyson snubbed in favour of Lewis", Glasgow Herald, 12 December 1996. Retrieved 21 February 2016
- 1 2 "Fighting Harrison 'like facing a brick wall'", The Scotsman, 6 December 2006. Retrieved 21 february 2016
- ↑ Mee, Bob (2000) "Boxing Ban Hits Thornhill", Daily Telegraph, 15 September 2000. Retrieved 1 January 2016